Adventure Tourism in Yemen

Climbing mountains
Yemen’s landscape is indeed quite mountainous. Not many people have given Yemen’s majestic mountain ranges sufficient attention until a group of Yemeni and non-Yemeni friends took advantage of these unexplored peaks and started climbing mountains in Yemen to marvel at its often unexplored splendor.

Mountain climbing is a dangerous sport, if you are not a professional climber, then we do not recommend it at all, there are so many activities to do on the island, or you can go for the easiest level.

Socotra has high and ideal mountains for climbing and our experts has provided services for every level of climbers. All climbers will enjoy the high altitude.

Trekking and Hiking
Yemen offers some of the best opportunities for trekking, especially in the mountains north-west of Sana’a. There, the distances between villages are short, a few hours on foot at most, plenty of picturesque and stupendous views, fascinating landscape, open-minded and helpful people.

Yemen offers some of the best opportunities in the world for trekking, especially in the mountains north-west of Sana’a. There, the distances between villages are short, a few hours on foot at most, plenty of picturesque and stupendous views, fascinating landscape, open-minded and helpful people.

The highlands of the Yemen are surely one of the greatest undiscovered trekking regions in the world. The very idea of trekking in Arabia seems strange to many people, but on seeing photographs they can understand the attraction.

Areas best for Trekking : 1 – Haraz 2 – Jabal Maswar 3 – Shaharah region.

JABAL HARAZ – In the Haraz Mountains 90 km to the west of Sana’a stands the proud mountain village of Manakha, at an altitude of 2200 metres. Manakha is an excellent base for trekking.

Small villages and hamlets lie scattered everywhere between the terraces that extend across the steepest slopes. Many visitors have suggested that the majestic spirit of the mountains can be felt more intensely in Haraz Mountains than anywhere else in Yemen.

The Haraz region is full of old fortified villages built on hilltops. One of the finest examples, the tightly built Al-Hajjara, is five km south-west of Manakha. The four and five-storey stone houses of Hajjara can already be spotted in the distance.

The village, dating to the 12th century AD, served as an important fortification during the Turkish occupations of Yemen.

The Ismaili villages with their decorated houses provide a wonderful area for trekking; Hutaib, the most important place of pilgrimage for members of the small sect, lies only about five km downhill, southeast from Manakha. the roads, tracks and footpaths uphill to the west lead to other picturesque villages like Kahil which overlook Hutaib and Manakha itself.

Jabal Shibam, the highest peak of the Haraz region at almost 300 metres, stands to the south of Manakha, a couple of km south-east from Hutaib.

JABAL MASWAR – The province of Mahweit is arguably the best place to trek in Yemen as well. The distances are not overwhelming, the mountain scenes are breathtaking and the people are among the friendliest in the country.
A good halfway destination is the 3240 metre Jabal Maswar, some 35 km south-east of Mahweit. Extraordinary beautiful terraces abound on the slopes of the mountain.

To the east of the mountain, almost directly north of Tawilla (some 20 km) is a village called Bait Adaga lies under Jabal Maswar where an overnight camping is spent.

JABAL SHAHARA -. Jabal Shahara is situated on the top of 2600 metre. The village of Shahara (at the top) with its famous stone bridge dating from the 16th century, is an impressive mountain fortress village.

The bridge was built by a famous architect, Saleh Al-Yaman, using two support bridges below. If it were easier to get to, this bridge would surely be one of the great tourist sites of the Middle East.

There are impressive views wherever you look from Shahara. Our option is to climb up Jabal Shahara to shahara village, enjoying the extraordinary views from the terraced slopes of the mountain.

However, you need to be in excellent physical shape to do this because the trip will take at least five to seven hours. Walking all the way to the top will vividly demonstrate to you why the Turks were not able to conquer the village on top of the mountain.

Camping
Those with love for both adventure and untouched nature; Socotra Island is the right adventure waiting for you. Camping is perhaps the best way of enjoying the winders of nature given to Socotra Island and sharing the warmth of its people. If you have a thirst of adventure, to experience fascinating indigenous nature andmagnificent panoramas spectacles, beautiful reefs along this cost of endless and empty sand beaches, mountain views, and unique wild- lif all the more enticing when you know you will have them all to yourself.Fresh fish will be caught from the sea and will be barbequed on the camping area.

There are some limitation concerning luxury, but you will find a strange satisfaction and happiness and feel that you do not need as much as you thought: a tiny bit of water for washing, a good meal and warm sleeping surroundings with verging nature will be appreciated and considered an ever unforgettable adventure. You just have to come to feel and see this incomparable landscape yourself and you will never forget those few days of a very special break from every day routine in civilization!

Paragliding
Like in the legend of Suleiman and his bird who cross the Yemen to see the queen of Sheba, have fun and discover our country by flying above mountains, seas.Dramatic and fascinating landscapes of Socotra island provide wonderful spots for paragliding. The best locations are Dirhor Canyon, Momi and Erissel. The small mountain near Qalansia is also a possibility. Paragliding is still rather exceptional sport on Socotra island, so you should bring all equipment needed.

Diving
The Red Sea is an old waterway and Arabia Sea are considered one of the best diving areas in the world and the stunning coral reefs in the southern extremes of the Red Sea.

The Red Sea is an old waterway where Egyptian Stelae and Turkish shipwrecks reveal the rise and fall of empires. It is considered one of the best diving areas in the world and the stunning coral reefs in the southern extremes of the Red Sea.

Around the numerous islands scattered along the coasts of Yemen offer some of the most abundant & varied marine life in the world.

Attracting visitors from all over the globe keen to sample the superb diving, optional snorkeling and water skiing in the warm and clear water of the Red Sea.

As well as sailing around a unique and spectacular landscape of volcanoes with multicolor lava flows is one of the best spots of the Yemen islands to combine best sailing with spectacular climbing, interesting snorkeling, swimming and unexplored emotional diving.

Horse and camel racing
It is one an old favorite sports for Arabs and of course Yemen, as Yemen the origin of Arabs. The traditional horse racing is one of the Qarnaw festival events and this event considered the first in the Yemeni desert, Horse Racing.

It is one of the old favorite sports for Arabs and of course Yemen, as Yemen the origin of Arabs. The traditional horse racing is one of the Qarnaw festival events and this event considered the first in the Yemeni desert, and there are plans to establish a “Desert Marathon” for horse and knights soon where competitors has to pass 42.2 km. The winners in the current race will be awarded as well the long race of 80 km.

Camel Racing
It’s considered and interesting sport and loved by Arabs for hundreds of years as it’s the heritage, genuine and speed sport. will be fixed in someone’s mind the scene of group of camels race with a high speed that shake the ground tremendously. The camels participating in this event are three categories: 1-Al Sudais 2- Al Thanaya 3- Al Jadeea’.